Even after 10 years
by rite4fun
Summary: It's been 10 years since the death of their leader, and the Titans are no more.  But when Kori recieves a strange gift, will it bring back the Titans? robstar bbrae
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS**

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It happened so quickly. What they thought had been a normal routine turned into one of the greatest battle they had ever faced. The Teen Titans were up against their toughest opponent, a villain known as Drake.

Drake had been plaguing the city for some time and the Titans were eager to destroy his evil rein, especially Robin. For a long time Robin was sure that no other villain could capture his every attention other than Slade. Once Drake came into the picture things changed. His eagerness to capture him wasn't just an obsession, it was a lifestyle.

The others had started to worry about him, especially Starfire. She had started doing whatever she could to pull him away from the computer or the darkness of his room. A couple of times she had almost succeeded but the knowledge that bringing Drake down would ensure the safety of the team was always the one thing that held him back. Now all Robin could do was pray that the team would make it through this.

Robin could here the different animals Beast Boy was transforming into; he could hear the exclaimed "Boo-yaw's" from Cyborg: the sound of Raven's voice saying "Azarath Metrion Zinthos"; the quick motion of Starfire's green bolts. Then, out of no where, he heard the explosion.

The after effects were worse than the initial shock of the explosion. The building they were in started crumbling down on top of them.

"Hey, guys!?!?!?!," Beast Boy said, "I think we need to get out of here."

"Right, everyone move out!" Robin quickly exclaimed.

It was hard to continue to fight off the remaining minions while dodging the numerous parts of concrete. Robin waited at the door as he made sure all of his team made it safely out. Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy, Star-where was Starfire. Robin rushed back in, frantically searching the collapsing building. He finally spotted her quickly flying towards him.

"Come on Star!!!!" He yelled.

"I'm com…"

She wasn't able to finish her statement. A large part of the roof had caught her, sending her hurling toward the ground below.

"STARFIRE!!!!!" Robin yelled.

He started rushing towards her only to be grabbed by two large hands. Cyborg grabbed Robin and pulled him out of the crumbling building.

"Cyborg, Star's in there, we can't just leave her!"

"Yea, but we can't loose both of you." he stated.

"That's no excuse, let me GO!"

Somehow Robin managed to squeeze out of Cyborg's grasp and rushed back to the building. But, he was too late. The building completely collapsed right as he got to the door. Once the dust had settled, Robin headed straight for the ruble.

"Titans, find Star!" he screamed, half fearful half livid.

They started turning over pieces of ruble, searching for what seemed like hours, until they heard Raven shout out. Even though he was the furthest away, he got there before the other two. What he saw brought him to his knees, and almost to tears. He looked at her crumpled body lying beneath a huge piece of metal and concrete. Cyborg and Beast Boy quickly picked it up while Robin pulled her body into his arms.

"We have to get her medical help" Robin said.

The other nodded in agreement and they quickly got into the jet and headed back to Titan Tower.

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**So, I've never written anything like this so PLEASE review if you read.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS**

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He watched her sleeping from the window outside the room. Her broken body just lie in a coma and there was nothing Robin could do but carefully monitor her status, hoping for a change in her diagnosis. It had been weeks and nothing had changed. The others could tell what kind of toll it was having on their fearless leader. 

"She'll be ok," Cyborg said, "She's a tough girl, she'll pull through."

Robin just shrugged. He knew she was strong, physically, but it always seemed Starfire had a weakness when it came to her spirit. Yes, she was spirited but her heart broke for so many and while she always sacrificed herself for others, it seemed almost impossible that she could find the strength to save herself.

"I have to find him; I have to make him pay for what he did to her." Robin said with a voice darker than Cyborg had ever heard.

"Don't worry, man, we will; Raven, Beast Boy and I are continuously switching watch of the monitor in case anything comes up."

"No, this is personal! He won't get away with this, and I'm going to be the one to find him and bring him down."

"Robin," said Raven walking towards them, "don't do anything stupid. It won't do anybody any good if you get hurt to."

"Yea, man, you'll end up in the bed right next to her." Beast Boy said.

Robin wasn't even paying attention. He only thought of killing the person who hurt her; the girl who had completely turned her life around. Unknowingly, she had the power to bring him back to the bright side of life, something not even the Dark Knight had been able to do.

After everyone had gone to bed, Robin quietly stared at the monitor, cross referencing anything and everything he could to get a clue as to where Drake might be. He had examined a ton pf places, but nothing seemed to fit. Finally, he came across what said to be an old abandoned house off the sea. It seemed to fit, seeing as how majority of Drake's attacks had been from sea. His gut told him this was the place so to the house he prepared to go. Once he gathered all of the necessary equipment, he made one last pit stop.

Careful not to disturb the other Titans, Robin walked briskly down the hall and stopped by the infirmary. He quietly walked into the room. It was the closest he had gotten to her since the incident. He sat on her bed and touching her face he then lowered his head and whispered in her ear

"I'm sorry I was never there for you like you were there for me. If I have to die so that you will live, then so be it."

Bringing his head back away from her ear, he leaned in, as if to kiss her lips, then deciding against it, he slowly got up and walked out the door and out of the Tower.

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**Author's note: So, here is the second chapter. I've decided to put up a few chapters and see how it goes, 4 to be exact. If you want more then review and let me know.**


	3. Chapter 3

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The house was dimly lit when Robin arrived, though he wasn't surprised. More light only meant more attention and he was sure the Drake didn't want any visitors. Ironically, sneaking into the house was easy and so was setting the bombs. 

_10 minutes_. He thought to himself, that's all it should take.

_Now, where in the world do I find Drake_. The answer came quite easily seeing one of Turmoil's minions coming straight toward him. Robin swiftly overpowered him and stole his uniform as to better blend in and find Drake.

_I should only have about 8 minutes left. That's not much time._

"Hey you!" someone shouted from behind, "You should be with everyone else in the dining room-which is the opposite direction. Drake is having a meeting discussing the final events leading to the Titans destruction."

Robin smirked; it was Demolition, Drake's right hand man. _This could work out really well._

He followed Demolition into the dining room, and low and behold at the head of the table sat Drake.

_5 minutes to go. It's time to end this._

"Well, as you know we are one less Titan to go," Drake simply stated.

The hall erupted into cheers.

"It won't be too long until all the Titans are destroyed, just remember I want to kill Robin myself."

_It's now or never._

"Well, congratulations Drake, because now is your chance," Robin said throwing multiple smoke bombs into the hall. This made it easier for Robin to cross the hall towards the head of the table. As if in slow motion Robin flew across the room in a series of flips and acrobatics, taking out all of Drake's men. By the time he reached the other side of the room all of Drake's henchmen were out cold and Drake was feeling the effects of the dastardly aroma. Robin grabbed him and threw him against the wall next to the fireplace.

"This is for Starfire!" he said.

"You think that because you get rid of me your precious city and friends will be safe." Drake chuckled, "You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into. My master is waiting for the opportunity to meet you."

_Master? What is he talking about?_

"Care to explain, Drake? Who do you work for?"

Drake laughed.

Suddenly, Robin could hear the final seconds of the bombs counting down.

_5….4…..3…..2…..1….._

The sound of the explosion was felt across the city in Titan Tower. Starfire bolted upright…

"ROBIN!"

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**Ok. The question is...is Robin alive or dead???**

**Review PLEASE**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter**

She had had the same nightmare numerous times. After which all she could do was replay the following hours.

_Why? Why would Robin leave the Tower without his friends? _ She remembered asking the others when she woke up. At first they had no idea what she was talking about but then the monitor had started flashing. The four gathered to look at the screen as it reported that an explosion had occurred across town. Cyborg and Raven went down to investigate the incident and even though Starfire and pleaded and begged to go with them they had not let her, fearing she might collapse from heartache. They had been right. When they returned with some of Robin personal belonging it sent her into shock.

_Why? Why Robin? Did you not feel loved, cared for? Did I hurt you?_

She replayed these questions continually in her mind after the explosion. It had never set right with her, loosing Robin. Even 10 years later, she was unable to bear the thought that he was truly gone. The Titans did everything they could to stay together, but without a true leader things fell apart.

Cyborg, now known as Victor, went on to own a small business dealing with electronics; he slept in the apartment above the store. Beast Boy, or Gar, joined a local bar as a comedian and roomed with Cyborg place where they continued indulging in video games, like the old days. Raven, or Rachel, was either in the library reading or in the Art Studio. Starfire, now Kori, liked to spend most of her time volunteering at community centers and homeless shelters-for both pets and people. She had even taken up dancing, specifically ballet. Somehow dancing helped her let loose all of her emotions. Each Titan had changed their name to hide their identity, just in case they were ever needed again.

Thankfully they had all kept in touch and normally planned a movie night one or twice a month, for old time's sake.

As Kori walked toward the homeless shelter a new feeling arose in her, something she hadn't felt in years……an edge. The only time she only had this feeling was during her years as a Teen Titan.

_No, Star. It's just wishful thinking. The Titans are history and Robin…is gone._ Tears started forming in her emerald eyes. Oh, how she missed him. It took her awhile to realize that she had loved him, more than she would ever love anyone else. Once she had told Cyborg about how she felt, and he had just smiled.

"Yea, I know" he had said, "and Robin probably loved you. He protected you more than anybody else."

"True, but, then, why would he go into battle without his friends by his?"

"I don't know Kor."

For whatever reason, this never satisfied Kori. She found that these haunting thoughts were what occupied her mind as she went to work, especially today. The day, in itself, ran like a normal day: breakfast at the Homeless Center, lunch with Rachel, play time at the Animal Shelter, the dinner and the Community Center. She finished her day with a night class at the Dance Studio. After the class she stayed, rehearsing her new routine to. It was her walk home that made her on guard. She had been approached by odd people over the years, but tonight it felt as if someone was watching her every move. Actually, now that she thought about it she felt as though someone had been watching her all day.

Upon arriving at her apartment, she quickly locked the doors and turned on all the lights. She then went to the window that looked out across the bay. In the distance, she could see the remains of Titan Tower. The Dark Knight had never torn in down, in hopes that one day others might stand up to the opportunity to fight for truth and justice. Kori had always appreciated this gesture. Looking back at the tower made her feel safe. Being in the tower was even stress relieving, especially sitting on top looking at the stars and watching the sunset, a pastime that had never left her.

Knowing the television held no entertainment that evening and feeling the exhaustion in her body, Kori took a warm bath and went to sleep.

_The dark figure had watched her all day. _

"_She's a busy girl. Still a late night visit wouldn't be bad."_

_Jumping down the roof top of the apartment building onto Starfire's porch, the figure carefully unlocked and opened the glass door. Starfire made a small motion in her bed, feeling the insignificant chill of the cold wind. Careful not to wake or disturb her, the figure carefully made its way to the bedside._

"_This little thing should bring the 4 Titans together."_

_Staring at the beauty before it the figure quickly and quietly slipped something into her hand brushing her face with a hand._

Kori awoke with a jolt. Everything seemed to be in order in her room. She started to touch her face, but instead of feeling the softness of her palm she felt the roughness of a somewhat distant material: rough on the outside and soft on the inside.

_Surely, it cannot be._

Looking down, she inevitably saw the object that brought back so much joy, yet so much sorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS**

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"ROBIN'S MASK!" They chorused together. 

"Yes. I went to sleep and woke suddenly, finding this in my hands."

"Dude, this is too weird." Gar said, "I mean Robin is dead…..right?"

"As far as we know, but maybe he managed to escape." Rachel calmly replied.

"As much as I want to agree with you, I just don't know. I mean we found his cape, his utility belt, pretty much everything he had." Victor said.

"True, but we never did find a body."

"Yea, well, it was probably blown into pieces during the explosion. There were body parts all over…"

"Please, friends, stop arguing." Kori said. She was having a difficult time as it was and Rachel and Vic arguing wasn't helping the situation.

Rachel broke the silence, "The one thing we do know is that someone broke into Kori's apartment and left this and we need to find out who it was."

"I agree."

"Yea, that means the Titans are back in business." Gar exclaimed.

For the first time in 10 years the Titans were together on another adventure and Starfire had a feeling of hope.

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"_Perfect. The Titans are back together; can't wait for our meeting."_

_The dark figure stood in the shadows of the building watching them discuss where they would begin their investigation._

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**Ok, so here is the next chapter!!! YEA!!! It is a little short. **

**Thanks for the reviews ya'll have sent. It's very exciting. **

**Oh, and I changed a couple things in Ch 4, mainly what Raven was doing...didn't like parts of it. **

**Enjoy!!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS**

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The Tower was dark and cold. Everything was either covered with a sheet or dust, in many cases both. 

_I highly doubt the machinery even works._ Vic thought silently to himself. _Then again if Robin is alive or someone is playing games, we will need it._

Robin alive. This was a somewhat inconceivable thought. Cyborg had been with Raven when they arrived at the explosion sight. It was one of those things that would make you puke. Bodies and clothing scattered everywhere. They had found Turmoil, or what was left of him, but no Robin. They, Vic, had concluded that Robin must have been directly next to the bomb, which would leave no trace that he was ever there. This was the main reason why Vic had difficulty accepting that Robin may be alive. Somewhere, he truly wanted it to be true. Having his most trusted friend back would be a blessing, not to mention the happiness it would bring Kori. He and the others had been watching out for her over the years. They all knew she hadn't taken his death well and they all made a point of staying in contact to make sure she was still ok. Then again, keeping in touch with old friends had really helped him out over the years too.

After opening his own mechanics shop Vic tried to keep busy in his work, so as not to overload his brain with mysterious thoughts. Normally, it was Robin he would go to in a time of need. He always knew what to say and how to handle a situation, even if no body else did. Even though Gar was his best friend, Robin was like a mentor. Loosing that was hard.

"Hey, is that thing going to work or are we just suppose to do this in the dark?" Gar's voice brought him back to reality.

"Alright, guys, here it goes," Vic stated as he reached the large computer, "but I want to warn you that this may not work. It has been 10 years."

The monitor continued to look black, then out of nowhere, Vic felt the machinery begin to vibrate and he heard the sound of it kicking on. The monitor sprung into life.

"BOO YA!"

"Cyborg, you have done it." he heard Kori say.

"Thanks, but it's not that big of deal Kori." Even after 10 years Kori had somehow kept a part of the kid in her, but it did feel good to be called Cyborg again.

"So where do we begin our search." Kori quickly asked.

"Well, first, I think we need to clean up and get organized. Find out what works and what doesn't." Rachel said.

"Why do we not begin the search immediately?"

"Well, if for some reason we have to face icky alien creatures," Gar started, "we need to be prepared."

"Gar is right. We haven't had any face-to-face combat in 10 years."

They watched as Kori lowered her head down.

"Then I suppose I will go check out my room. Perhaps things are as I left them." She said before walking out of the room.

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Kori walked down the hallway leading to her room. She passed the training center and the rooms of her 3 friends. Then she looked ahead at the door that led to Robin's room. Part of her wanted to go in and cry, the other told her that she shouldn't get her hopes up for a stupid little mask. None the less, feeling as though she could not handle anymore emotional strain she continued on to her room.

Opening the door she saw what was left of her belongings. She remembered leaving things in this room; memories that she wanted to preserve or just hide away. With the reestablishment of the Titans she felt as if she were home again, but she still missed the Boy Wonder and she started preparing herself for the idea that this might all be just a wild goose chase.

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"How do ya'll think she is?" Gar asked.

"The same she was when we told her he was gone." Rachel stated.

Gar nodded. He remembered how hard they had taken it, learning that Robin was gone, especially Starfire. She collapsed. He just stared at Vic, hoping that it was some big joke. It hadn't been easy afterwards. He recalled how the monitor would start picking up activity and the 4 of them would just sit and listen to the red siren roar to life. It would be 30 seconds before Vic got up and said that they should probably check on it. Oddly, enough, it was never a huge deal. Crime seemed to completely decease. The police were able to handle everything.

Gar left and traveled around the world for awhile, taking what he hoped to be a vacation before heading back. His trip had been miserable. _Not as much fun when you by yourself._ After returning home he remembered trying to find something entertaining, which is when he joined the night club as a comedian. Entertaining people made him happy and so did his weekly, sometimes daily escapades with Vic, which normally consisted of video games in Vic's apartment.

"Gar!" Rachel said, "Holding the broom and looking at the floor won't do anything."

"Yea, well, I was trying to test out my new powers."

"What new powers? The ones labeled idiot?"

Yea, this was starting to feel just like the good old days.

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_Even after 10 years, he is still the laziest person I have ever met_. Rachel thought to herself. For Rachel the last 10 years had been frustrating. After learning that she and the others had lost their leader she almost fell apart. Rachel had loved Robin, but not in the same manner as Kori. To Rachel, Robin was the older brother that watched out for her, the only family she really had. Loosing him almost caused her own downfall. Luckily she had friends who stood by her side. Kori had forbidden they loose contact and that had kept her sane and together.

For someone who depended on zero emotions, Rachel looked forward to the days when she would meet up with her old friends, even Gar. Her irritation at him had subsided over the years and she had learned to enjoy his company, no matter how stupid he decided to act.

Rachel had spent most of her time in the library where she volunteered. She had even taken up art classes, where she was able to let loose the emotions that, to her, were so dangerous.

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**Thanks to everyone who is reading this and reviewing.**

**Ok, so this chapter is kind of giving an insight to the titans and their thoughts. This story is not from one point of view so I hope I do a good job of expressing that. **

**Please let me know any thoughts and/or recommendations. Plus it's fun to see if ya'll like the story or not.**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS!!!**

Ok, so this is a short chapter. Don't know if this has been noticed but my chapters aren't always long or short, it's probably going to be a mix. Enjoy!!

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After two weeks the Titan Tower was looking like it had been a decade ago, with a few modern touches. Being in their mid twenties their sense of style had changed, so they adapted that into the new look. They had even reverted to calling themselves by their hero names again, even though it was common for them to call each other by their aliases. It had been a mutual decision that while in the Tower and fighting evil they were Titans, but when they walked the streets of Jump City they were to use their aliases. This could provide a great cover, if they ever had to pretend to be someone else.

All four Titans were also beginning to feel more fit and in shape. They had trained rigorously 3 to 4 times a day, and it was showing. They could complete the most difficult level of combat without getting seriously injured. If only the search was going as well.

Cyborg had tried every search known to man. He had searched mysterious vigilantly activity, crimes in nearby cities, crimes in cities across the continent, only to come up with nothing.

"It just doesn't make sense. I've checked and cross checked and there is nothing!" exclaimed the irritated Cyborg.

"Perhaps you are looking for the wrong things." Starfire stated, "Perhaps you need to look at things that connect us to Robin."

"Why would we search for that Kori?" Beast Boy asked.

"After all, we don't even know if Robin is truly alive." Raven continued.

"True, but if this is Robin, perhaps he is trying to contact us, through things that we would be familiar."

"Well, in that case I have an idea, but it will take some time." Cyborg simply stated.

At that they headed for the kitchen to prepare dinner. They enjoy a hearty meal prepared by Cyborg.

"Why didn't you become a cook?" Raven asked.

"Well, as much as I love food, I love mechanics. There is nothing like building something then getting the opportunity to see it in action."

"Yea, dude, the power, the speed……" Beast Boy continued.

"Humph, it must be a boy thing."

Surprisingly Vic had even learned how to make some awesome tofu, though he still hadn't acquired a taste for it.

Everyone chuckled. Suddenly the monitor started beeping. They quickly headed to the monitor.

"Well guys, looks like it found something."

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**Ok, well that's ch7. Short but it kinda gets the point across. If you think I need to include more of something or less of another please let me know. I know some of the battle scenes will take some work and I really need to try and get accross what I think they look like which will hopefully happen in the next chapter. :)**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!**


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS.**

Here is the next chapter. I have another note at the end expressing some random thoughts. :) Hope you enjoy.

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Looking around them, they could hardly believe they were standing in the place where it all started. The building that had been destroyed during battle now stood resurrected. For Starfire it brought back physically painful memories, for the others the beginning of the end. They had arrived in the newly repaired T-Car, something Cyborg had been working on for the past 10 years. With their new car came new outfits. Cyborg looked the same but he had been able to make a device that created an illusion to the naked eye, making him look completely human. Rather than her leotard, Raven wore an all black suit with royal blue knee-high boots and a blue cape (very similar to her attire as a teen). Her black shirt showed majority of her mid-drift accept for a small piece of the shirt that crossed her stomach. Her hair was now past her shoulders and layered. Starfire's hair was about the same length but about twice as thick and the color was a deep red. She stayed with the skirt and went for knee-high purple boots. Her shirt was long sleeved and tied around the neck (also purple) but showed both her mid-drift and her shoulders, and had a black V-shaped stripe starting in right-hand sleeve and moving down left. Gar, who had also been able to hide his natural green skin, wore a completely black suit with black converse. 

It was still hard to believe that they were standing back at the beginning. It wasn't surprising that the door was still located in the same place but it took a while before they were prepared to opened it and venture in.

Carefully, they walked into the building, quietly closing the doors behind them. The inside looked the same as it did that fateful day. Large cargo boxes stood everywhere and the Titans felt as if shadows were lurking around every bend. They carefully made their way to the center of the building, hoping that some light would be shed on their current situation. Once there they looked at the only light source in the entire building.

"Scanners aren't picking up anything."

The whoosh of a foreign object put all the Titans on their guard. The object hit the light, causing it to swing before lodging itself in the concrete floor. Starfire picked it up and showed it to the others.

"It's the same shape as Robin's." Raven said

"Yea, and it's the same size." Beast Boy said.

"But it is not the same color." Starfire said.

"That is very true. Well, done Starfire." The eerie deep voice came from above. A figure jumped down to the floor staying in the shadows.

"Hey, man, we do not want a fight. Just tell us who you are." Cyborg demanded.

"We already know who it is," Starfire stated, "Robin?"

"Robin? Is it really you man?" Cyborg intently asked.

The figure slowly made his way into the light. What the Titans saw was a shock and a joy at the same time. They saw a man wearing an all black suit with a blue bird across his chest, short black spiked hair, and a mask covering his eyes.

"Well, I haven't gone by that name in a long time. I'm known as Nightwing." he stated with a smile.

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Ok, so, now that I am looking back it might have made sense to put Ch 7 & 8 together. That way it would have been longer and Ch 7 wouldn't seem to be pointless. Let me know what you think, b/c the more I think about it the more it kinda makes sense. 

Oh, and what do you think about our mystery person. I am curious to know whether you thought it was him or not. Please, PLEASE REVIEW!!!


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS**

_Ok, so here is the first 'revelation' chapter. Is he who is says he is, or is he someone else?_

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Nobody could speak. Starfire felt as though she would collapse. Cyborg felt a shiver run up his back while Raven and Beast Boy stared at the dark figure, mouths agape. The same thought was going through all of their minds: _No way. Is this really him?_ Surely it couldn't be; the man standing in front of them wasn't skinny and short, he was quite the opposite. Nightwing wore an all-black suit with a blue bird across his chest. He was tall and extremely built with short black hair. _Why couldn't I have grown into a sexy guy? I bet he gets all the girls._

_Beast Boy, this is no time to be jealous. Plus we don't even know if this is Robin._

Raven and Beast Boy glanced at each other then turned to Cyborg. Hopefully he had some idea about how to figure this out.

"Fine, if you say you were once Robin then you won't mind proving it."

Nightwing smirked, "How, exactly, do you want me to do that?" His voice was deeper but carried a small familiarity about it.

"Why don't you tell us something that only Robin would know." The others looked at Raven nodding their heads in agreement.

"Well, Raven, don't you remember the time your father was released and I found you, as a child." Raven eye's widened. Those were times she wished she could forget. "Or the time Cyborg and I got into a fight and he quite the team." Cyborg winced; that was the worst argument they had ever gotten into. "Then there was the time that Beast Boy unleashed the creature inside him due to a toxin he came in contact with and saved Raven's life." Beast Boy looked down; he had unleashed his anger and Raven was stuck in the middle.

Starfire felt Nightwing's face look in her direction as she cowered behind the other titans; he seemed to carefully be considering his words, but never spoke.

Cyborg still look weary, "I still don't know, man."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance." Starfire said. She started making her way up to Nightwing.

"Star, I don't know if that's a good idea." Beast Boy said, but just watched as she walked toward the familiar stranger.

_If anyone knows Robin, it's me_. She thought to herself. The closer she got the quicker her heart began to beat, the deeper she breathed. Her eyes remained fixed on the floor until she saw his feet and realized that he was directly in front of her making her come to a quick halt. Slowly, she tilted her head up and stared at his face. She intently looked in the mask, trying to catch a glimpse of something that would tell her if it was really him. After what seemed like an eternity, she saw them; the blue eyes hiding beneath the mask and she knew who he was. Suddenly, she felt dizzy; the last thing she remembered was Nightwing's face growing farther and farther away.

Nightwing moved quickly to ensure she didn't hit the floor. He cradled her body in his arms.

_Looks like he is who he says he is. He is the only one who can affect Star that way. _Cyborg knew the others were thinking the same thing.

"It's good to have you back, man. But you have a lot to explain."

"Don't worry, I'll explain everything but first we need to get her somewhere where she can rest." Nightwing replied.

"Right, let's head back to Titan Tower."

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_YEA!!!!!! I decided to wait to write the full revelation, so hopefully most, if not all, of your questions will be answered in the next chapter. Fair warning, the following chapters (especially the next one) are going to be very difficult to write but hopefully I will be able to depict my ideas...but no more. Until next time:)_

_Oh, yea...**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!**_


	10. Chapter 10

HEY ALL!!!! Sorry it's been a while, school is being a MEGA pain, so it has taken me a while. Anywho, just wanted to say that this chapter was one of the more difficult chapters, coming up with Nightwing's story and all. Please read and enjoy!!!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS**

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Nightwing opened the door to Starfire's room. Walking in he headed straight for the bed where he gently laid her down. She had uncomfortably shifted the entire ride back and Nightwing kept tightening his hold on her, trying to comfort her (he had let Raven drive the motorcycle back to the Tower). Watching her sleep was the most calming and exhilarating thing he had done in a long time. 

Watching her sleep brought back memories. He stroked her long red hair before pulling a blanket over her and leaving the room.

Back in the meeting room, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy tried patiently to wait for Nightwing's return, but it wasn't that easy. They had hidden unanswered questions for years, doubting they would ever be answered. Now that he was back, they were determined on having them answered. Finally, the doors opened and in walked Nightwing. He sat down and waited.

"So, what exactly do you want to know?"

"Well, for starters, where the heck have you been? How did you survive the explosion? Why did you wait until now to contact us? Like EVERYTHING!" Beast Boy yelled.

"Calm down Beast Boy, I'm sure Rob-Nightwing has a VERY good explanation." Raven calmly said, even though she herself was a little agitated.

"Look, man, just start the night of the explosion." Cyborg stated.

"Hmm, yeah that was rough. Basically I found out where Drake's hideout was and sought him out. I went undercover, and made it into the main meeting room where Drake was discussing the downfall of the Titans."

"Hold on a second, how did the house get destroyed?"

Nightwing looked at Cyborg then looked down. "I planted bombs throughout the house."

"YOU DID WHAT?!?"

"LOOK! Bottom line is I was able to corner Drake and was about to end everything once and for all when he told me that his 'master' would not stop until the Titans were destroyed, permanently."

He stopped and looked around the table. Raven's eyebrow had arched and she was looking at him very curiously. Cyborg's face had a look of shock on it and as for Beast Boy; his eyes were as big as apples and his mouth agape. They didn't know Robin had been capable of killing someone; he had vowed justice, not revenge.

"Man, why did you kill him? Better yet, why did you _want _to kill him?" Cyborg's eyes stared at Nightwing.

"I don't want to talk about-"

"Dude, you need to talk. You don't just go to someone's house and plant bombs and blow-"

"BEAST BOY!!!" Raven's eyes were glowing, "As much as we want to know why he did what he did, I think it is better that he continues with his story."

_Thanks Raven._

_Don't thank me just now. You're not out of the bird house yet._ Nightwing returned his gaze to the rest of the table.

"Before I could find out anymore information I heard the final 5 seconds of the bomb count down. I was barely able to jump into the fireplace before the entire house exploded. Somehow I triggered a trap door leading underground; it ultimately saved my life. I remember waking up in a dark tunnel, unsure of where I was or who I was for a short time. The amnesia slowly disappeared and I started looking for a way out. On top was a ton of ruble so I knew that was not an option. The only other choice was to follow the tunnel, and that's just what I did. I found about a dozen different passage ways and by the looks of them Drake had never known about any of them, but I couldn't find a way out. After a few days my body was completely decrepit, due to lack of food and sleep, and I was getting no where. At the point in time I was at a dead end and I was sure I was going to die in the tunnels. I leaned against the wall and it moved backwards causing me to tumble into a large open cave. When I was able to gather my senses I looked around and noticed the cave was filled with extraordinary equipment: weapons, computers, gadgets, and even food. It reminded me of the Batcave, just abandoned. I assumed it was used as a hide-out many years ago but by the looks of it, the place had been abandoned for numerous years. I realized I was too weak to travel so I stayed in the cave until I regained my strength. Once I had done that I started exploring. My goal was to find a way out and I did. I discovered numerous tunnels, one lead straight into the sewer that runs underneath the city, most were dead ends, but I did find one that led to the coast. Ironically I could see Titan Tower from the opening."

"Then why didn't you come back?" Raven explicitly asked.

"After what Drake had said I knew I had to find out whether he was lying or telling the truth. I figured that if I was "dead", his boss wouldn't worry about the titans, leaving him more susceptible to make a mistake and leave clues."

Nightwing could tell the others weren't buying it. "Look, I contemplated telling you the plan, but I didn't think it would work. And before you say anything Raven," he knew she about to outsmart him, "it's not like I didn't trust ya'll, it's just I wanted to catch this guy as soon as possible."

"Right. Look, man, 10 years has gone by and you STILL haven't caught him. So, no offense, but that story just isn't sticking."

Nightwing turned to look at Cyborg. "Look, I'm not trying to get you to agree with my decisions or my actions, but I will say that I have found out a lot of information. For example, I found out that Slade had once worked for this guy."

"Wait a minute, Slade worked for this guy too?" Beast Boy asked slightly confused.

"Yep, apparently this guy sends his 'right-hand' men to different areas instructing them to somehow control the city by any means possible. I found out that Slade had originally worked for this guy, but once he learned all he needed to he decided to go rogue."

"Like you," smarted off Beast Boy.

Nightwing smirked.

"So do you know anything else about this guy, like his name?" Cyborg questioned.

"Not yet, but I plan on doing further investigating. This brings me to why I came back. My information has led me to believe that he resides in Jump City. I have a strong feeling he is about to make his move…."

"….and you want us to help you bring him down?" Raven asked.

Nightwing turned to Raven, "That's what I was hoping for. I realize, now, that I can't bring this guy down by myself. No matter how much I want to."

The three just glanced at each other, then back at Nightwing. He knew he hadn't given them a reason in order to help him. After all, he had abandoned his team and betrayed their trust.

"Though I don't agree with your decision, I know it took a lot of strength for you to say you couldn't do it on your own. Seems like you've grown up a little over the years and realized it's not always about the individual." Raven said.

Cyborg pondered a moment before adding, "Plus it would be great to be a team again……"

"…..yea, but this time don't die." Beast Boy said.

"Ha-ha. I'll try not too."

* * *

There it is. I won't lie, I'm not sure I really like his story but I needed something and this was the only idea that I could make work. I've read and re-read this about 100 times, trying to make it better. There is still a lot more to Nightwing's story. 

**_PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! _**I would love your opinions on this chapter!!!! Thanks to all.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: YEA!!! I think this is the longest chapter I have written yet. For those of you who have wanted a little bit of Rob/Star I think you will appreciate this chapter. :) I wanted to dedicate this chapter to SaoireWaveglow and Kicon for there constant reviews and support. It has been very encouraging. Also, to all my reviewers...ya'll are AWESOME and I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Oh, and just so there is no confusion, the long breaks are a change of scene and the small breaks are a change of point of view. I don't plan on using them unless I am trying to make a point. Hope that doesnt get too confusing. Enjoy

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS

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Starfire had been listening at the door for most of the conversation. As great as it was to have him back she still felt betrayed. She had been his best friend and yet he had left her and the team, without as much as a word of his well-being. On top of that he had killed Drake and most of his followers. She thought silently: _What happened to you? What led you to kill? _

They started filing out of the conference room and at the sight of Starfire leaning against the wall, Beast Boy jumped.

"Star, what are you doing out here? I thought you were asleep?" the others filed out behind him.

"I was. But with all the excitement I could not sleep."

"Well, that's great. The others were about to tell me what they had been up to."

Nightwing was eager to see what his friends had been up to over the past 10 years, so they all plopped down on the sofa's and began relaying their adventures to him. Beast Boy's was by far the most entertaining. His story included close encounters with aliens, Big Foot, the Lock Ness Monster, and other mythical legends. Everyone laughed as he tried to make sense of all of his stories.

Cyborg went on bragging about his successful business, elaborating on how the business was about to become a worldwide organization.

"Yea, man. In two-years, I'll be on every billboard from here to Gotham."

"Vic, that's awesome."

"Too bad I haven't signed with any company."

Vic controlled his urge to laugh while looking and Nightwing's face. Even behind the mask, he could tell he was clueless.

"I thought you said," Now leaning over, "that you were about to go worldwide."

"I wish I was." Vic's eyes glistened with humor. "Thought I would elaborate my story, just to prove that **I** am the better story teller." He shot a Gar.

"Hey, but your story doesn't include anything about Big Foot or the Lock Ness monster. They are classic."

"They're not real."

"Come on Raven. I saw you smirk while I was telling my story."

"I only smirked as to not spite you and stop giving me those puppy eyes, you know they don't work."

"Well, how 'bout you Raven? What have you been up to?"

"Painting." She looked at Nightwing. "I've been painting and drawing. It's been a great way to express my emotions—in a safe way. I've even opened my own small gallery. It's become pretty popular and I have been asked to host the annual Christmas Art Exhibit starting in November."

"Richard, you must see some of her work." Star almost jumped out of her seat. "She has graciously hung some of it up in the Tower. You must come and see."

"I think he can wait Kor. He has plenty of time to see my paintings."

"Rae is right. Plus I still need to hear your story."

She thought to herself._Isn't it obvious?_

"Star?"

Blinking back into reality, she looked up. "Oh, I have been involved in community work, mainly Community Centers and animal shelters. It makes me feel good, helping other people. I have even been taking ballet classes."

"Yea, and my little sis is pretty good too." Cy stretched his arms around the couch. "She has been in numerous plays and has received multiple key roles."

"Please Victor, I do not want to brag."

"Awe, Star don't be too humble. You deserve to get credit for your accomplishments."

"Thank you Gar."

Nightwing smiled. He wasn't surprised. Starfire had always wanted to help everyone and it seemed that's exactly what she was doing. He had already seen her dance and from what little he had seen she was amazing. It seemed she put everything she could into it and it showed. He was proud of her, proud of all of them in fact, but knowing she had moved on made him feel more at ease. In all reality she had been the hardest one to leave behind. His only regret was that he never told her how he felt, but no matter. She was happy and that was all that mattered.

Starfire couldn't figure out why he kept staring at her. There was this look on his face that she couldn't place. It scared her but then again it gave her an excuse to stare back.

The others realized that the two were eye locked. Glancing at each other they exchanged thoughts without saying anything…….some things never change.

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The next morning Nightwing looked around his dark room. Red wasn't really his color anymore; he had changed to blue. _Guess I have some redecorating to do. _He got up pulled a shirt over his head and headed for the kitchen.

Victor was at the stove cooking, what looked like eggs, bacon, and toast. Gar was sitting at the counter eating a bowl of dry cereal and next to him Rachel sat quietly reading her book and sipping on her tea. Richard headed for the frig to pour himself a glass of milk.

"So you all changed your names?" He casually started pouring the milk into a glass.

"Not exactly. They are actually our real names. Just like yours is Richard." She eyed him carefully, hoping to catch his surprised expression. "We never exactly told each other what they were, even as a team. I guess we never thought we would ever have to use them."

Richard turned around and smiled, "Gotcha. So how do you find out what my name was?"

"Kori let it slip yesterday." Rachel sipped some of her tea and continued reading her book.

"Speaking of Kori, where is she? Still asleep?"

"Naw, man. Even after 10 years Kori still loves to sit up on the roof and watch the stars and the sunrise. It's her place." Vic said.

Dick grinned. He remembered the multiple times he and Kori had had long conversations on the rooftop. They had even danced a couple of times. Kori was always intrigued by the sunset. It was the one thing on earth that reminded her of her home planet.

Sitting his empty cup in the sink he started for the stairs, "I'm gonna go check on her."

After he left, Gar looked at Vic and said, "10 bucks, somethin' happens."

"100 bucks says it doesn't."

"You're on."

Raven just rolled her eyes. They had had this same bet a thousand times and Cyborg had always come out victorious. _"Robin's scared"_ he'd always say. Time to see if, after 10 years, the once Boy Wonder had more guts. More than that though, his name started gnawing at her. _Why is it so familiar?_

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Kori had gotten up early to watch the sunlight, hoping that somehow it would shed light on the situation. Once the sun had risen she turned on music and started dancing. All the while thoughts swam through her mind. Robin, or Nightwing, had returned—now what? She remembered that when she first came to earth her feelings for the Titans grew but not compared to the deep emotions she had developed for him.

She could never figure out what it was about him that made her so attracted but she did know that he had always been there for her, explaining the most difficult things about earth in the simplest matter; he protected her from danger and had saved her life too many times to count. It didn't take long for Starfire to realize that underneath that mask was a real person, someone who really cared, even though it was rarely shown. She had to admit though, she hated the way he hid things: his past, secrets from the rest of the team.

More than anything, she hated how he bottled up his emotions, mostly when it concerned her. She could never truly tell whether he cared about her or not, it was a constant see-saw. Starfire had waited for the day when Robin would tell her he loved her, but that day had never come. She had gotten hurt and he disappeared for 10 years, leaving her heart-broken.

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Slowly, Dick opened the door to the roof only to see Kori dancing. He slipped out and watched her carefully as she danced. The newly arisen sun only enhanced her beauty leaving him in awe. He had always known he had strong feeling for her but it wasn't until he left that he realized how deep those feelings went. There wasn't a day within that long 10 years that he didn't want to find her, take her in his arms, hold her and tell her everything would be ok. It had been especially hard the night he snuck into her apartment. She was absolutely gorgeous while she slept, not to mention the peace the covered her face.

Peace was something he had never been able to find, a peace of soul that is. There was always something to do, some crime to stop, some villain to capture, ensure the safety of the team and the city. Ever since the death of his parents he had been lost. Bruce had done what he could to help him overcome the void in his life, including training him to be the Boy Wonder, but that still hadn't done the trick. When he met Star things started to change. She was so trusting and dependent on the Titans. Being around her calmed his spirits and allowed him to be human—to feel emotions and put away the hero side, he was able to be himself. Her ability to see the good in everyone was his favorite characteristic. She had always known his true heart; little did she know but she owned his heart.

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Kori slowed her dancing enough to see that she was not alone. When she stopped she saw Richard watching her and she could feel her cheeks instantly turned bright red.

"Oh, I am sorry. I didn't see you standing there." she said.

"No, don't apologize. I probably should have told you I was here. You are an amazing dancer Kori; it looks like you have been doing this your entire life."

"Yes, well, I had watched it many times over the years and found it breath taking so, when the team was…" she stopped and looked at him. She stared at his face, looking into his blue eyes that were uncovered for the world to see. If had been a long time since she had been able to look at him as a normal human, she was used to him wearing his uniform, and more importantly, his mask. A hero was who he was; he had told her that once and it had almost torn her apart. Her thoughts drifted back to reality and she suddenly realized she was gaping at him and quickly turned away and continued, "….anyways, I couldn't help myself."

He wanted to know what was going on in her head. She had just been staring at him as is he was a ghost. She was defiantly hiding something, which wasn't like her, and it made him worry.

"Star?"

"Yes."

"Uh, would you like to dance?"

Though she was a bit taken back, she nodded her head. She knew he didn't like dancing, but, then again, she wasn't about to miss the opportunity. So she slowly walked up to him putting her right hand in his left and her left hand on his shoulder, while he put his around her waist. Over ten years the Boy Wonder had defiantly grown and he now stood a good 2 inches over her.

As they started Kori kept her head down afraid she might faint again if she looked at his face. It felt so good to be this close to him, but she still felt upset. Kori had rarely gotten mad about things, but she was mad about this: mad that he had left with zero explanation, and especially mad about his actions. She felt his story was really sketchy. There were too many holes, and the others had been really quick to forgive. She on the other hand wanted to forget everything he had done, and forgive him, but to her it wasn't that simple.

"Richard?"

He stopped and looked down at her. _Here we go._

"Why did you take Drake on alone?" she said, slowly pulling away from him so that she could search his face.

For once he wished he had his mask on just so he could hide part of the truth.

"Star, it's complicated. I……"

"Why did you leave us?" That was it; she had come straight out and said it.

Richard just stared at her…..speechless. He wasn't ready for this conversation, but she was. She had waited 10 years to ask him that question, to relieve all the emotions she had bottled up. He, on the other hand, had known the truth, but was too scared to admit it.

"Look, Kori, I didn't want to leave. You have to believe me. But I knew that if I didn't there would never be a chance at catching this guy"

"So, you didn't trust your team?" By then she had completely backed away from him and turned to go inside.

"NO!!! Kori, that's not true! I trusted all of you with my life." He grabbed her hand, spinning her around to face him, then wrapped his other hand around her waist. He let go of her hand and used it to tilt her face up toward him.

She now looked straight into his blue eyes.

He had forgotten how green her eyes were. It was like two beautiful emeralds staring straight through him. He slowly brought his head down and leaned toward the side of her face until his lips were at her ear.

"I've really missed you Star."

"I've missed you too." She wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him. He followed by putting his other arm around her waist and just held her as she started to shed tears.

At that moment they had exactly what they wanted.

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A/N: So there is Chapter 11. PRETTY PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I like to hear what all my readers have to say, and seeing as there have been almost 2,000 hits (which I am very astounded by) I would like to hear negative and/or positive thoughts--what did you like, what did you hate...anything. Thanks a bunch!!! 


	12. Chapter 12

YEA!!!!! So, just to make sure ya'll are on the same page...italics what the characters are thinking. Not sure i like using them, so i am experimenting. We'll see how it works. Thanks to my reviewers--ya'll are AMAZING!!!!!!!!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS

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"DUDES!! I am SO hungry!" Gar yelled throughout the tower. 

"How is that possible? You ate only 2hrs ago!" Rachel quickly spit back. "Honestly, sometimes I'm surprised you're 26, you act like a 7 year old."

"Well, you act like you're an old maid!!!" Gar screamed. He and Rachel now glared at each other and Vic was sure he could see static between their eyes, so he decided to break the silence.

"Alright, you 2 love birds, CUT-IT-OUT!!"

Rather than glare at each other their anger was immediately directed toward Victor. Before they could say or do anything they were interrupted.

"What's all the commotion?" Kori asked.

Seeing Richard follow in behind her, Vic saw another opportunity to embarrass his friends. "Well, while ya'll were making out," he watched as Kori's face turned red and Richard's was booming with anger, "these 2 couldn't stay away from each other and were just about…."

"VICTOR!!!" Rachel's anger was swarming causing the entire room to go dark.

Richard smirked, "First off, nothing happened between Kori and I," he paused before making his move, "and if you're such a matchmaker why haven't you gotten the courage to ask Bee out?"

Vic chuckled, "Ok, ok, you caught me." He slightly punched Richard in the shoulder, "Didn't know you still had it in you."

Gar stomach echoed throughout the living room, "Well, ya'll just keep cracking jokes, while I wait for my stomach to crack open."

"Gar, what would you like to eat?" Kori asked while Rachel shook her head in the background attempting to continue her book.

"I was thinking we could all head down to the old pizza plaza on 2nd and Lincoln. You know, for old time's sake."

"That sounds wonderful!" Kori practically screamed.

"Yea. I haven't been there in ages."

"Last one to the car pays!!" Vic yelled and rushed out the door followed closely by Gar.

_Do they really think that I am going to pay for them?_ With that, Rachel closed her eyes and instantly disappeared.

Richard looked at Kori. "Did she just teleport?"

Kori smiled, "Yes, she learned it not long after the team split up. It looks like you and I will be the lucky buyers."

"Looks that way, doesn't it?" He watched as she headed for the door. "Hey Kori." She turned to look at him, "would you like to ride with me on the cycle?"

Her eyes magically created stars, "Sure."

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He didn't know whether it was because it had been a long time since he had been here or if it was always this good and he just never realized it, but Richard thought the pizza was phenomenal. They had ordered two extra-large pizzas and had eaten them both. Well, Vic and Gar had eaten majority of it. They had a competition to see who could eat more and now both of them were in the bathroom puking. The Kori and Richard had started laughing hysterically before feeling cramps in their stomachs. Luckily they were able to hold down what they had eaten.

Vic and Gar finally stumbled out of the bathroom, having regained color to their faces. "I forgot how good this place was." He said.

"That's what happens when you work straight for 10 years, fighting crime and catching bad guys." Vic smarted off.

"Hey, I didn't just work as a crime fighter. I made sure to check-up on old friends and actually got a day job."

"Really, where?" asked Kori.

"Wayne Enterprises."

"As in Bruce Wayne, one of the richest men in the world?" Gar asked, wide-eyed.

"As in Bruce Wayne, his stepfather." Rachel stated.

The others immediately stared at him, and Richard could tell the lights were starting to click on. He didn't realize that they didn't know Bruce was Batman. Apparently, he had forgotten to mention that little fact about his life.

"Hold on a sec. Bruce Wayne is the……."

"Yes, Vic. I thought ya'll knew that."

"Richard," Kori started in a very calm voice, "you never mentioned much about your past." Richard just stared at the ground. _My past isn't worth talking about._

"Well, as great as Bruce is, I always felt like I was in his shadow, which is why I left Gotham in the first place. After the whole Drake ordeal I went back."

"I remember seeing something about you being the heir to Wayne Enterprises on the news a few years ago, but I didn't recognize you." Rachel had pretty much put all the pieces together.

"Yea. I figured it was a good cover for me, plus I could continue my work," Kori noticed he was looking at the Tower, "and make sure all my investments were safe."

"That explains why the Tower was never torn down."

"I figured that it would be a place where people to go, if they ever needed something." He said, his eyes glued to Kori.

When it dawned on her he was staring at her again and she turned her head shy fully back to her plate. "Friends, I believe I will take a walk through the park before my recital tonight."

"What recital? I thought you all stopped working for the time being."

"We did; for the time being."

"Rich, we don't have the luxury of being able to drop off the face of the earth for a time. We all created lives for ourselves and for the past decade that's what we have invested in. No offense, cause I love being back together as a team, but we can't just walk away from ten years of hard work."

Richard nodded his head in understanding. With Bruce being Batman he was, for the most part, able to come and go as he pleased without any worries to the public and media. When he had left to come to Jump City, Bruce had informed the public that he was attending private school on the other side of the country.

After the Drake ordeal had gone down, Richard 'returned' to attend college in Gotham and train to become the next leader at Wayne Enterprises. On top of that he was gathering information about the International Crime Lord, which left him no time for a social life. The only parties he had attended were ones to promote his image as the Wayne Enterprises heir—he was actually jealous that his friends had led such fun lives.

"So, do ya'll need some time to work out your schedules?"

"Not as of right now. I was able to close down the store for a few weeks for a 'business trip'. But we'll probably have to head back in a couple weeks to cover. With the titans back and us MIA, some people might get suspicious."

"True. Most of my work can be completed from home through email, plus our major art exhibit isn't for another few months and my painting won't be needed until then."

"and the bar is training some new guys and want to give them ton of experience, plus I'm overdo for a long vacation." Gar yawned then sprawled out in the booth.

"I could not give up dancing, but the shelters have plenty of volunteers so a few weeks or months without me won't hurt anyone." Kori smiled.

"It would be very exciting if all of you would come tonight. This will be the deciding factor for the Jump City Christmas Recital that I have been working towards."

"Don't see why we can't go." Vic smiled.

"I don't know Kor; I was hoping to upload some new information into the computer……"

"Aw, come on man. You've taken most of the say off; why not just take the rest."

"Look, Vic. I want to catch this guy. I can't afford to take an entire day off!!!"

Vic just stared at him in disbelief. _I can't believe he is doing this to her—again!!!_ If Kori wasn't here he would probably lash out at Richard for his incompetence. Luckily, Kori saw the anger rising and stepped in between.

"No, Vic. If Richard must work then he must work. It will hopefully bring us closer to finding this man." She looked down sadly. "For now, let us enjoy the rest of the day."

As much as he appreciated Kori's gesture she made him feel so guilty._ As much as I want to go, I just can't. I have work to do. Plus, there will be other performances.  
_

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So, not too much action in this chapter but I didn't want to just write about their hero lives. Plus, you get to see a little bit into Richard's life--very important for other chapters. Anywho, you know the drill----PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!

LOV YA'LL!!!!!!!


	13. Chapter 13

**WOW!!!! It's been a while. Sorry for such a long wait, but finals were a royal pain. Anywho, here is the next chapter. Thanks to all my reviewers. I would love to extend my thanks individually, but sadly, they wont come until the next chapter. :( Hope you enjoy and I welcome your thoughts. Oh, yeah, almost forgot: the italics are their thoughts. Not sure I how I feel about them, but it some cases I think they are fun. ENJOY!! **

** DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS!!!!!!**

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"The Jump City Theatre is the old building in the city. It was built to resemble the Chatelet Theatre in Paris, France back when the city was first established. When founders started building Jump City they had planned for it to be a small town with a supreme college of arts but within 50 years the population was so large they decided to build a city. The Jump City College was moved in 1976 from its place next to the Theatre to the northern part of town outside the city limits. Does that answer your question Gar?" Rachel looked over at Gar.

"Yea, thanks. I didn't know you learned the entire history of the Theatre through the Art Gallery."

"I didn't." Rachel reached over and took the program from Gar's lap and flipped it over to the back, holding it up for him to read.

"Ha, look at that:_The History of the Jump City Theatre_."

Rachel dropped the program back in his lap and turned towards the stage. Front and center. Kori had always taken care of her friends by making sure they had some of the best seats in the house. Rachel remembered when they had gotten box seats for the Cleopatre performance and it took a lot of her will power to not slug Gar for screaming it out to the entire audience. Tonight was just a recital that allowed the studio members (mainly consisting of students) to be exposed to theatre production companies and art colleges, including Jump City's College of Arts. While the younger studies enjoyed their performance, the older students took it very seriously. It was one of two opportunities for them to show their talent. Their main goal was to be offered one of 28 spots in the Jump City College of Arts. Kori had been offered a spot and had accepted. She attended the school for 3 years and had been offered a lead spot in the acclaimed_IMAGINE _Ballet, but she refused and decided to stay in Jump City.

Rachel smirked. While the high school students would be sweating bullets Kori would be dancing to the song "Hiding Away" by Hilary Duff, just to entertain.

Rachel knew why she had chosen that song. It wasn't long after she had woken up with Robin's mask in her hand that she had scrapped her old song and routine and started choreographing the dance.

_Too bad Richard doesn't have a clue. He has no idea what he is doing to her. I'm sure Vic will try to talk some sense into him and even if he does I still plan on exchanging some words of my own._

She glanced over to look at Vic, two seats over, and saw that he was seriously thinking. She didn't have to read his mind to know he was thinking about the same thing. Before focusing back on the stage she noticed the look of extreme anticipation on Gar's face.

Shaking her head she thought, _still acts like a kid._ But then again, that's one of the reasons she liked him.

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They had left an hour ago to go to Kori's recital and he hadn't even gotten one-fourth of his work done.

He shook his head and sipped some of Rachel's green tea, trying to keep himself focused. _How much data did I collect?_ There were stacks of papers everywhere, ranging from profiles to strange events. _Hopefully it'll get us some quicker answers._

He inwardly cursed Bruce for not being able to quickly upload the data from the Bat cave to the Titan computer, but then again, Cyborg was the smartest, fastest person when it came to computers. Barbara had tried numerous times but it just wasn't the same. Now that he thought about it, his team consisted some of the greatest people he had ever known. Only someone really stupid would ever leave a group of friends like that.

_But I did._

_----------------------------------------------------------------- _

"Dude, when is it Kori's turn?" Gar turned to Rachel.

"You have the program, why don't you use your brain and LOOK AT IT!!!" Her words were a mix of excitement and agitation.

Gar looked down and smiled. He had gotten so excited he forgot he had the program. When he opened it up he realized Kori was the first performer of the second act, and they were about to go into a short recess. He turned back to Rachel and froze. There was a blue light shining on the dance floor but the reflection of it lighted Rachel's face.

_I keep forgetting how beautiful she is._ He turned his attention back to the show, knowing that if she caught him staring at her, she'd probably slap him. _Dude, I wish I could just tell her how I feel. DANG IT!!!! I sound just like Richard._ With that, he shank in his seat as the recess began and starting counting down until Kori's performance.

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Backstage, Kori start began pacing and fidgeting with her hands. She was getting really nervous, but she always got nervous before a performance. She knew as soon as the music started she would get lost in it and knowing her friends were right in front calmed her spirits.

_Too bad Richard couldn't make it._ She had wanted to be selfish and tell him that he needs to stop working, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. As she watched the announcer walk out front she knew it was time. _Perhaps he will come to another one._ She heard the applause and walked to her spot behind the curtain. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she really wanted him to be sitting beside the others.

---------------------------------------------------------

_Where are they? They should be back by now._ Richard watched as the clock rolled around to 1a.m. He knew he shouldn't get worried but he was, and it was distracting him from his work, not that there was much left to do, he had almost completed everything, and was attempting to put in the last personal file before noticing the time.

Then, he heard the door opening and the sound of laughter. Apparently they had gone out to celebrate. He kept forgetting they were older. The thought made him smirk.

"So…..Richard, how'd the working go?" Vic shot him a look.

He turned back to the computer, typed for about 5 minutes, pressed enter, turned around and said, "As of right now, I'm done."

He got out of the chair and Kori ran over, giving him a big bear hug. He welcomed it by wrapping his arms around her waist. "Richard that is wonderful." He smiled.

"Yea, perhaps I can join your celebration." She pulled away and Richard saw the tiredness in her eyes.

"I would love to stay up, but I am very tired. Please don't let me discourage you all from enjoying the night." With that she moved out of the hug and made her way toward her room. "Thank you all for a fantastic day." She said before disappearing down the hallway.

"I'm with Kor, I'm exhausted." Gar followed soon behind her.

Rachel looked at Vic and he nodded towards the door. She knew he had it under control

_Try and get the point across Vic. I don't know how much longer I can take this back-and-forth nonsense._

_What like the 'nonsense' between you and Gar?_

_Don't change the subject. For tonight focus on Richard. Me and whatever you think is going on with Gar can wait._

Vic nodded and Rachel left the room.

"Rich?"

He looked up, "Vic?"

"You know I hate to pry," he said with a comical look on his face, "but is there anything going on with you and Kori?"

Richard smiled; Vic was still writing his and Kori's love story, "No. You know how I feel about her. She and I are only friends."

While Richard had expected Victor to crack a joke he watched his face suddenly grow serious, "Look man, she hasn't stopped thinking about you, even after 10 years. Out of all of us, she took it harder than anyone. I won't lie when I say we weren't worried about her well-being, and when she started dancing it defiantly took away some of her bottled-up emotions. Now that you're back..."

"What? You want me to go and express my love for her like all those movies you and Gar had us watch." Richard stated sarcastically.

"Naw man. All I'm saying is that you can't keep sending her on these emotional roller-coasters. She can't handle it." Richard's face grew still, and then he nodded.

Vic headed for the door, "Oh, one more thing, if anything _does_ happen, don't tell Gar. I bet him $200 bucks nothing would happen for another week."

"Dude, get out of here!!!" Richard said throwing a pillow towards Vic.

Hands up in the air in defeat, Vic walked out of the room, "Alright, alright."

* * *

**Again, I welcome any and all thoughts--good or bad. This is not something I do all the time, but since I started this story I am determined to finish it!!! PLEASE REVIEW and thanks to all of the avid readers who just read my story...that means a lot too. THANKS AGAIN!!!!**


	14. Chapter 14

**You all should consider yourselves lucky!!! I think this is the quickest update yet, and if time allows, it won't be the last. WARNING: this is my first attempt at a battle scene so any and all comments are welcome...as well as any pointers. Oh, and thanks to tennisgal456, Kicon, and Indi for their reviews. I understand the Holidays are here and people are practically running around with their heads chopped off--I am one of them--so there isn't a lot of time to review. Thank you again and thanks for everyone who just reads my story, that means a lot too.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS!!!!!**

* * *

"_You must be Richard." The tall, brown haired man said. The little boy, about 9 years old kept his eyes fixed on the ground, but managed to nod his head. The man sat down next to him, "My name is Bruce Wayne." _

_The boy didn't move. Bruce could tell Richard was trying to be strong and hold his tears. "I lost my parents when I was about your age. They were shot." This grabbed his attention. He turned to Bruce, showing his deep blue eyes._

"_Did you see the guy shoot them?"_

_Bruce's face saddened, "Yes, I did." _

_Richard started sniffling, "Did they catch the guy?"_

_Bruce smiled. "You see Commissioner Gordon over there," Richard nodded, "Well, he and his partner were the two men who arrested the man. So, if anyone is going to find this man, it's him." _

_Richard dropped his head again, "Does it ever stop hurting?"_

_At this young age Bruce was a little taken back by the question, but understood exactly what Richard was asking, "Not completely…….no."_

_Richard started crying and nothing he did could stop the tears. "I want to be with them… _

…_Why did they have to die..._

…_Why couldn't I have been with them?"_

_Bruce picked him up and put him in his lap and let Richard's head dig into his chest. "It's going to be alright Richard." Bruce rocked Richard back and forth and as soon as he was asleep he picked him up and put him in the back seat of the car. He walked over to Commissioner Gordon, "Gordon, I'm taking him back to Wayne Manor. He can stay there as long as it takes." Gordon smiled and nodded._

_The next day, Richard woke up in a large king-size bed. For the next 5½ years this was his home……_

_----------------------------------------------------------- _

Richard woke up with a jolt and looked at theclock—3a.m. He had only been asleep for a little less than 2 hours and now he lay in his bed wide awake thinking about the dream that plagued his mind. _I haven't thought about that day in 13 years. _ While he wanted to concentrate on his dream he felt nausea sweep over him and decided sleep was the best idea.

Before he could pass out a loud siren filled the room. Within 3 second Richard was on his feet, mask on his face and out the door, uniform in hand. The Titan alarm was going off. By the time the others had gotten to the computer Nightwing was giving out instructions.

"Looks like there is trouble at the pier on the eastside of town." He said quickly gathering the information. "We better check it out."

While Nightwing headed for his bike, Raven and Cyborg went for the T-Car.

"Star, are you going to fly?"

"Yes, I shall stay close to Nightwing."

"Hey, twinkle-toes, let's get moving." Cyborg yelled across his shoulder. Beast Boy was having difficulty getting his leg into its appropriate spot.

"It's like 2 a.m. Hang-on just a second, I almost…"

"We don't have a second to waste." Raven turned Beast Boy upside-down and put his leg where it belonged then pulled him into the car.

"Thanks, Rae." The T-Car roared to life and followed Nightwing and Starfire out the door.

"Nightwing, you have any idea who this is or what it is about?" Cyborg's voice rang over the communicator.

"Yea, his name is 'Aukia." He replied. "He's infamous for working at sea and over the years not even the coast guard has been able to catch him. He relishes in stealing state-of-the-art technology, but has been know to randomly raid any type of ship: barge, cruise, yacht. You name it, he has probably hit it."

"So, he's a pirate!!"

"Apparently."

"That is so…."

"Beast Boy will you shut up already!!" shouted Raven after slapping him upside the head.

"Anyways, from what information I can gather, he seems to be Number 2 in charge. So if we catch him we should be able to locate our guy."

"Well, looks like we're about to find out. Eastside pier, dead ahead." said Cyborg, braking the car.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The sound of the motorcycle slowly disappeared as Nightwing parked the bike on the outskirts of the pier. Starfire had landed in front of the cycle and T-Car carefully scanning the area before them.

"I don't see anything."

"Alright Titans, listen up. 'Aukia's men highly trained and they get no greater pleasure than the order to destroy, including people, so I want you all to be _extremely_ careful." Nightwing turned to look at the docks. "Ok, let's split up. Starfire and I will work clockwise, while Beast Boy, Raven and Cyborg work counterclockwise. We'll meet up at the furthest side of the pier. Any signs of movement and you call for immediate back-up, got it?"

The others nodded before heading off to search the pier.

The outskirts were silence—no sound or movement.

Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy slowly made their way. The closer they got, the more distinct the sound of clanking metal became.

"Ya'll hear that?" Cyborg asked, looking for the noise.

"I think it's coming from the center of the docks."

"Want me to go check it out?"

"No, Nightwing wanted us to stay together and since we don't know what this guy is like, and I plan on doing this by the book. Nightwing, come in. We got noise coming from the center of the docks."

"Yea, we heard it too." Nightwing voice rang over the communicator. "Starfire and I are heading that way; just don't make any moves till I give the signal."

"Got it."

--------------------------------------------------------------

75. That's how many he had counted, but with them moving to and from he couldn't tell for sure. Beast Boy had flown overhead to get a better count before meeting up with Nightwing and Starfire. Nightwing's goal was to remain hidden, so they were trying to lessen the use of the communicators.

"Alright, tell Cyborg and Raven that we are going to surround the group. You, Raven, Cyborg and Starfire will take the four corner crates while I'll station myself leading to the ships. These men live at sea so I highly doubt any of them will head for the city."

Beast Boy nodded his head before jumping off the crate and transforming into a sea gull. The sky echoed with thunder. Nightwing watched as he flew to where Cyborg and Raven were waiting. Once they started moving to their positions, Nightwing looked at Star and nodded and she quickly took to the sky.

As Nightwing jumped off the crate lighting lit up the sky quickly followed by thunder. A split second later another voices reverberated through the night. Nightwing turned to see a group of men pointing at Starfire. He could hear them shouting commands to fire and he ran towards the men.

"TITANS!!! GO!!!"

The men who had once been aiming at Starfire turned their attention to Nightwing who used gas bombs to cover his attack. With the smoke eliminating their eyesight Nightwing moved quickly, knocking out 10 men before the smoke began to clear.

He then ran out of the smoke into a circle of men. As they jeered at him, he prepared himself. One man ran up behind him but the sound of his feet alerted Nightwing to his move allowing him to spin on his left leg kicking the man hard in the stomach with his right. Another man came up on Nightwing's left side and he turned punching the sailor square in the face. Before any of the other men could attack Nightwing leapt in the air flipping backwards, landing on top of two guys behind him.

Cyborg utilized the battle to use his new sniper (using tranquilizers only) that he had installed. He positioned himself on top of the cargo bins and started firing. The aim was superb and he didn't miss a single shot taking out 15 men. It didn't take long for his position to be discovered so he reverted to using his size and canon to fight. He jumped to the ground and began firing taking out 5 men on his first shot.

"BOO-YAW BABY!!! Now that's what I'm talking about."

There was a crash behind him. He turned to see 6 guys laying on the floor and a glowing cargo bin.

"Why don't you try and pay attention? I can't protect you all the time." Rachel let the bin drop with a thud.

"Raven, LOOK OU!!!"

Raven turned to see a man holding a gun straight at her head. Before she could react she felt a huge cat push her out of the way. Cyborg dropped and rolled just as the gun was fired and shot at the guy. He fell over and dropped the gun. Cyborg turned to see Beast Boy on top of Raven, giving her grief.

"You know, I won't always be here to save your life." Raven smirked before picking him up and tossing him off her. He transformed into a pterodactyl to take out the men who had climbed on top of the cargo bins, while Raven put a shield around her and Cyborg to protect them from the hail of bullets.

Starfire met up with Beast Boy and they divided up, circling the bins that encased Raven and Cyborg. She descended rapidly firing star bolts at the men and trying to knock them off. As she approached the remaining bins she had men hurling themselves at her and provoking her. She landed on the bin and took her stance.

"Why don't you come over here sweetheart? We could go dancing." The sailor smiled and Starfire saw his rotted yellow teeth and grimaced. When he was within arms reach, she reached out and used him to take out the others before throwing him off the bin.

"I believe you are incapable of leading." She hovered over the man as he laid on the ground, smiling to herself.

"But you are not incapable of falling." A deep voice said.

Starfire tried to turn around quickly but she felt a sharp sting at her side and began hurtling toward the ground.

* * *

**Well, there it is: my first attempt at a battle scene. Honestly I don't think I did too bad, but only my fans will tell. I know 'Aukia's line is cheesy so no need to point that out. **

**And a look into Nightwing's past. I think I already mentioned this but aside from the parings there will be a lot dealing with Richard/Nightwing. I just feel drawn to write about him. But I will hopefully talk about the others as well, just expect more of him. Anywho, PLEASE REVIEW.**

**and Happy Holidays to everyone!!!!!! **


	15. Chapter 15

**Well, this chapter goes out in celebration that I survived my first week back at school, and I hope everyone who had their first week back survived too. So here is the next chapter, after my first small cliff-hanger. Didn't think I did too bad on it. Anywho, here it is. Enjoy**

** DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS!!!!**

* * *

Once he had taken out the men, Nightwing started looking for 'Aukia. He spotted him closest to the outer docks. 'Aukia was moving toward the bins, making sure he stayed hidden behind the crates. His dark complexion and 6'0 height made him a very hard man to not be afraid of; not to mention his savage dark eyes. When Nightwing first met him he was taken back, but it hadn't taken long for him to realize that 'Aukia had no fighting skills, though he was a superb shot. _I've got to cut off his escape_. 

Nightwing started moving quickly toward him then stopped suddenly when he saw 'Aukia pointing a shotgun at something. Nightwing turned toward the barrels direction and saw Starfire throwing a man off a bin. He knew if he went after 'Aukia, Starfire could be seriously injured but if he went after Starfire, 'Aukia could get away. He started to continue on his path before the he heard the gun sound then instinctively turned left. His heart tripled in speed as he raced to reach Starfire before she hit the ground. He had 50yds to go and he was sure he wouldn't make it. Using all of his energy he jumped, arms outstretched. As soon as he felt her, he pulled himself into a front flip and landed on his feet, Starfire cradled in his arms.

He laid Starfire on the ground and searched for bullet. He ran his hands over her waist and felt liquid on her left side. He turned her on her side and looked at the womb.

"Nightwing," Starfire's voice quivered, "I will be fine, just find Raven."

Nightwing thought quickly. He closed his eyes and focused on Raven, trying to contact her: _Raven, where are you?_

_Beast Boy, Cyborg and I are at the western corner heading south-_

_No, come east; Starfire has been hit and she is loosing a lot of blood._

Nightwing heard a faint pop and felt a hand on his shoulder, pulling him away from Starfire. Raven got down beside her and quietly whispered something while moving her hands over Starfire womb.

"Star, this might hurt a little."

Star nodded. The others watched as the bullet removed itself from Starfire's side and her skin mended itself; all the while, Starfire maintained her composure.

"She'll be fine. Nightwing where do you…." Raven turned to look at Nightwing, but he had disappeared.

"Man, that guy cannot stand still."

"Well, we better find him before he does something stupid." Raven turned to Starfire, "You should probably stay seated for a while so you gain regain your strength."

Starfire shook her head, "No, we must find 'Aukia. That was our mission and Nightwing has left to finish it; we must help him." Before Raven could protest Starfire launched off into the air and headed to the east towards the outer docks.

--------------------------------------

Nightwing jumped from bin to bin, heading toward the docks. He could see 'Aukia's ships in the distance. _I am not going to let you get away again._

A bullet hit the metal bin an inch away from Nightwing's left foot causing him to loose his balance and fall off the side. He landed on his feet and looked around, listening for any sound of movement.

"Well, well. Bird Boy seems to have grown up a little." The deep voice echoed through the bins, with no real direction to where it was coming from.

"Why don't you stop hiding in the shadow's 'Aukia? Are you too afraid to face me man to man?"

'Aukia smiled as he silently moved toward Nightwing's position. "Don't think your petty words will cause me to loose my patience. I am a _very_ patient man."

Nightwing slowly moved along the edge of the bins, knowing that any sudden noise could give away his position. "You know, I don't think your boss will appreciate you failing him like this. I mean this has got to be embarrassing, loosing your men to a couple a young adults. It's pretty pathetic if you ask me."

Lighting struck the sky followed by a loud roar of thunder. "That saddest part about this Bird Boy is that no body will be able to hear you die. The thunder will cover the sound of the gun and then I can just dump your body into the ocean. No body will ever know."

Nightwing had moved beyond the safety of the bins and was standing out in the open waiting for 'Aukia to make a mistake. He kept moving in circles searching the shadows for a figure.

"Too bad your little girlfriend isn't here to see you die. But, then again, you did get to see her perish."

Nightwing new he was trying to get him to stop concentrating, and it was working. He had left Starfire to find 'Aukia and had trusted that Raven would take care of it, but what if it had been too late. _No, Richard, stay focused. You would know if anything had happened to Kori._

'Aukia raised the gun to eye level and had it pointed at Nightwing's back. "She was a pretty girl. Too bad you never got the chance to say goodbye."

"He won't have to."

'Aukia turned around only to be blasted backwards into a cargo bin by a green bolt. Before he had a chance to react Nightwing's hand was at his throat.

"WHERE IS YOUR BOSS 'AUKIA?!?!?!?!?" Lighting again lighted the sky and rain started hurtling towards the ground. 'Aukia face remained still.

"TELL ME WHERE HE IS AND YOU WON'T GET HURT!!!!!!!"

"Nothing you do to me will ever match what Pilot is….." His eyes widened in realization of his mistake.

"Pilot. So where can I find this Pilot? What is he up to?!?!"

"Do you think I'm stupid Bird Boy? Pilot doesn't accept failure and he hates traitors."

Nightwing smirked, "Looks like he won't be very pleased with you then."

"Who said I……" 'Aukia's eyes widened and he screamed in agony. Nightwing let go and stepped back, watching as 'Aukia fell on his knees, holding his head and screaming.

"PLEASE, MASTER!!!! I HAD NOT YET FINISHED THE JOB!!! I HAVEN'T FAILED!!!! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!!! PLEASE, MASTER, PLEASE!!!!"

"Nightwing, what is wrong with him?" Starfire said, cautiously approached Nightwing.

"I don't know Star."

'Aukia stopped moving and lay flat on his face. Nightwing guardedly moved towards him. As he reached for his shoulder, 'Aukia jumped forward on top of Nightwing. His eyes were blood shot and he was drooling uncontrollably. Starfire helped pull him off Nightwing and they both pushed him into the bin.

"MAKE IT STOP!!!! MAKE THE RINGING STOP!!!!" 'Aukia twisted and turned like a rabid animal, screaming and twitching.

"Night-wing. What…. is wrong…..with him?" Starfire struggled to ask as she and Nightwing tried to hold 'Aukia against the bin. Even with her Tamaranian strength, she still struggled as 'Aukia shook rabidly.

"I………

……..don't

…….know

…….Star."

"MAKE IT STOP!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE, I'll TELL YOU ANYTHING!!!! JUST MAKE IT…………….." 'Aukia's body slumped against the bin Starfire immediately let go and gasped when she saw his pale face and the ghost-white look in his eyes. She turned towards the ocean and hugged herself, trying to stop her shivering.

Nightwing released his hold on 'Aukia and watched as the body fell to the ground and into puddles of water.

"Nightwing, what happened?" Nightwing turned to see Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy coming out of the cargo bins.

"I don't know. We need to get him back to run a diagnostic to see what killed him."

Cyborg moved over to 'Aukia lifeless body and started running tests. "The rain is interfering with the testing. This would be easier to do if he were in the hospital wing at the tower."

Nightwing nodded and looked up at the sky, watching the rain fall.

BAM!!!!!!! The others looked over to see a dent in one of the cargo bins where Nightwing had punched it. Without a word he walked off in frustration back towards the cycle and T-Car. Cyborg picked up the body and moved alongside Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy as they followed Nightwing in silence.

--------------------------------------

High above them hovered a small remote control airplane. It had zoomed in on the Titans just as Nightwing had hit the cargo bin.

"Now, now Nightwing. No need for violence." The shadowy figured smirked, evilly. "How would that look to your little girlfriend?"

* * *

**Ok, so fall all those who want to know where I got the name: 'Aukia means Seafarer. I thought it was pretty fitting, and different, so I went with it. **

**I would love to hear everyone's thoughts, grammatical or based on the storyline. And for the record I say I'm maybe a little over half-way done. Of course that is always prone to change. Hope everyone has an AMAZING weekend!!! **


	16. Chapter 16

Well, school is officially back and I think I am in the "swing-of-things". Of course tests start next week, so that may be a complete lie. ANYWHO...here is the next chapter. This chapter is going to be a little shorter than the others but has some of the, much wanted, RobStar and even a little BBRae BUT not too much. There is way too much left in the story. Oh, I if you are wanting some MEGA action, you won't get it but there are some important hints eluding to Pilot and I am sure some of you will start putting pieces together.**  
**:)

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS**

* * *

Rachel slowly opened her eyes and stared out the window in the living room. Someone was playing with them and after what she had managed to pry from Star she had no doubt it was Pilot. Victor had gone down to the hospital wing and opened 'Aukia's head and found a small metal piece lodged in the front of his brain. According to Vic, once activated it sends electricity throughout the brain, slowly roasting it until the brain is burnt. Any poor person to die from it endures a slow, sometimes long, torture before they die. More importantly, once it's activated it can't be stopped. 

Rachel turned at the sound of Garfield flipping through channels, his face emotionless, while staring at the changing screen. She smiled, realizing he was completely unaware of what he was doing.

_Pilot. _

Pilot's heartless actions had already taken their toll on Kori and she hoped it wouldn't scar her friend for life. Her thoughts then turned to Richard. Something about what 'Aukia had said caused her to be uneasy. Whether Richard knew it or not he and this Pilot were connected somehow. How or why, she didn't know.

---------------------------------------------------

_I just don't get it._ Richard stared out his window toward the city watching the rain pour and the lightning light up the sky. _I spent 10 years gathering information, trying to find a direct link to this guy and what happens: my only connection gets assassinated. Not to mention that the rain washed away any evidence that was at the pier._

He could feel his blood boiling and he silently thanked himself for moving everything away from the windows, or else it would be in pieces on the floor. _What is it about this guy that gets under my skin?_ His thoughts then turned to Slade and the obsession he had had, and how he had almost killed himself with that fixation.

The part the angered him the most was that his old habits were returning._10 years. _He thought silently. _10 years I worked on my habits and trained myself to be wiser about things and now look. I'm reverting back to a young naïve teenager._ He stared at his light reflection in the window trying to see through the external self that deceived everyone, including himself. His eyes were serious and troubled and hidden. Even without his mask his eyes were still locked and unwilling to open; it was like they, themselves, were a mask.

_I have got to find this guy._

_--------------------------------------------------- _

The rain was calming and soothing as Kori sat curled up in a chair; the lightning and thunder were another matter. She had grown to love the rain, but after the night's events every time lighting struck the sky, she watched as 'Aukia's face would come out of nowhere pleading with her to stop the pain. It made her shiver.

True, the man had been working for Pilot but he didn't deserve to be killed like that. What kind of person did something like that to their own follower? The vision left in her head was the blank look left on 'Aukia's face. Apparently, Pilot had learned to ensure he could keep his minions close to him, especially after loosing Slade. Kori shivered again, this time wrapping the blanket closer around her. She hated Slade but had realized the genius behind the mask, which made sense to her that Pilot had been mad when Slade went rogue.

Her thoughts turned to Nightwing. She knew he was taking this loss hard. Even as teens he always hated loosing a piece to the puzzle. To him, it was gone forever and there was never any hope of retrieving it. _Perhaps I should go check on him._

Richard heard a tap on his door. "Who is it?" he snapped.

"It's Kori. I was just checking to see if you were ok."

"Yea, Kori. I'm ok."

"Then you are not in need of any medical attention?" She eagerly asked, secretly hoping he would open the door.

Richard looked down. His bare chest held scars from past battles and minor scrapes from the night's endeavor; the worst was his hand which was now stained with blood and tiny bits of paint from the cargo bin.

Kori patiently waited outside Nightwing's door. She could hear movement inside and took a step back. The door opened and Kori turned away shy fully, "I am sorry. I did not mean to disturb you. I shall come back later."

"No, Kori. It's ok. I'll just throw a shirt on." He took her hand and pulled her inside his room. When the door shut he let go and went to a drawer, pulled out a black shirt and pulled it over his head. Still, due to the shirt's fitting shape, she could outline his defined muscles that covered his chest and felt her cheeks turn bright red. She looked down, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Richard watched her, as she shy fully walked across the room to the couch facing the window. He casually followed her and sat beside her. Raking his hand through his hair he asked, "So, I see you aren't frightened by storms anymore."

"Yes, I got over that fear." She smiled, "It's funny. I now find them quite comforting and relaxing."

Richard raised his hand and raked it through his hair. "Yea—"

"Richard, your hand!" Kori had straightened up, taking his bleeding hand into her own. "You need to clean this up."

"Really Kori, it's not a big…" But he watched as she got up and went into his bathroom and turned the water on. "…ok." He muttered to himself, leaning his head against the back of the couch.

Kori came back out with a washcloth and bandage. Sitting next to him she put the warm washcloth on his hand. The warm water made him wince but he didn't show it. They sat silently as she gently stroked the cloth over his wound until his skin was cleared of any blood. Kori then carefully wrapped his hand in the bandage.

"There, good as new." She said, smiling at her work.

"Thanks Kori."

Kori returned to her gaze to the storm. As time went by, Richard noticed that she jumped every time lighting lit the sky.

"Kori?"

"Mmm"

"Are you ok?"

Kori turned her head, "What do you mean?"

"Every time lighting strikes you jump. What's wrong?"

Kori sat silently, staring into the storm. She quietly said, "I see his face in the lighting. I see the ghost white face; the blank stare that knows it will never see the sunlight again." Richard hears her voice quiver. His only reaction is to wrap his arms around her and hold her, but he doesn't even have to make the move before she falls into his arms, sobbing.

"No matter who you are or what you have done, no one deserves to die like that."

Slowly, Richard wraps his arms around her and gently began stroking her hair. Kori's sobs became drowned-out by the storm as she peacefully drifted off to sleep. All the while Richard held her close and stared out into the night.

* * *

Ok, well there it is: short and sweet. As you can see Richard is fighting his own demons which I feel is a very important part to the story. And just to give everyone a heads up, Pilot will be briefly mentioned in the upcoming chapters but we won't actually meet him until later. You will also get the opportunity to see how close the four titans (excluding Nightwing) have become. All the while I set up for the grand finale so I apologize in advance for some maybe not so thrilling chapters, important, but like I said, maybe not as thrilling. YEA!!!! 

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!


	17. Chapter 17

First, I want to apologize for not posting for like 4 months. Like many other I became swamped with school and work, but I hope to be updating very often over the summer. Perhaps I will even be able to finish!!

Second, I want to thank everyone who has stuck with me this far. I appreciate all of your support and feedback--every review and encouraging and insightful.

Third, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's not action packed but I believe it will help develop the story. Plus we get to see some of Kori's feeling towards Richard--always a plus.

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS**

* * *

"Rachel?"

Rachel turned to see Kori standing in the doorway. "Hey, Kori." She carefully placed the file on the table sitting next to her bed and looked up again; Kori still remained in the doorway. "You can come in, Kori."

"Thanks Rachel." Kori made her way to Rachel's bed and sat down, twiddling her fingers. "I was wondering if you would like to accompany me for a day on the city." Rachel rolled her eyes and reached for the file. "I want to run over to the studio and I would truly love the company. Perhaps we could even grab lunch?"

Rachel looked at Kori, and then reluctantly nodded. "When are we leaving?"

"Whenever you are ready!!" Kori jumped off the bed and ran out the door.

About half and hour later Kori and Rachel headed for the door.

"Where are you lovely ladies going?"

Rachel slightly turned her head to look at Vic, "Out."

--

"KORI!! Darling, I'm so glad you are here!" Seline, the dance studio owner, promptly greeted Kori, kissing her cheeks. Seline had been part of the Russian Ballet for over 20 years before retiring and starting her own dance studio. Over the last 10 years three-fourths of all her students had been hired professionally. Though part of it may have dealt with their skill, most of it dealt with Seline's "one-way" mindset. If Seline wanted someone to do something, it would be done, no questions asked.

"Hello, Seline. This is my good friend Rachel."

"Yes, well that's very nice dear. However, I have wonderful news. Mr. Williamson from the Mayor's office just stopped by and asked if you would be interested in performing at the Jump City Christmas Charity Ball in December. I told him I was sure you would, seeing as it's 7 months away, but that I would run it by you just in case." Seline gave Kori her best approving smile, knowing Kori wouldn't say no.

Kori smiled, "Of course, Seline, I would love to."

"Wonderful, darling, wonderful. Now I have the perfect song for you to sing to and a routine that would fit perfectly…"

"Actually," Kori interrupted, "I have a piece that I would like to do and I would love to have you critique it."

"Well, I suppose. But you must know that if it were anyone else I would not allow it. This is only because you are my best pupil."

Rachel rolled her eyes. _This woman is a nut-case._ "Well, as much as we would _love_ to stay, Kori and I have some places we need to be getting to."

"Yes, Seline. I will stop by later this week to talk about the piece."

"Yes, yes, very good darling. Now I have some students who need drastic work on their steps." Seline promptly exited the room leaving Rachel and Kori staring at the wall.

"Well, I guess that's over."

Kori nodded. "Perhaps now would be a good time to grab lunch. We could go to the deli by your art studio. I would love a Chicken Caesar Wrap."

"Kori, you never actually get the Caesar dressing, you always substitute it with mustard."

"What's wrong with that?"

Rachel just smirked.

--

Like every other time they had dined there, Kori got the strangest looks from the employees. They had eaten here dozens of times and it never ceased to amaze them that Kori wanted mustard instead of Caesar dressing.

"One of these days you should actually try the Caesar dressing." Rachel stated as Kori engulfed part of her wrap.

"Why? I like it better this way."

"True, but another way could be better."

Kori shrugged. "Perhaps."

Rachel looked at Kori, choosing her words carefully she said, "Have you ever tried to get over him?"

Kori's chewing slowed; she swallowed and looked at Rachel. "There were times I wanted to. After the explosion, when we thought he was gone forever, I told myself that I needed move on; that he wouldn't be there to pick me up when I fell. Over the years I tried to find other ways to love people but nothing compared to what I felt towards him. I even built a barrier to protect myself; it was built from all the times I had fallen and picked myself up again." Kori's eyes started to fill. "Then, he came back and that barrier…it just broke. I couldn't make sense of it, why I just fell apart like that, but I think it's because I truly love him. Without him, it's like I'm hollow."

Stifling a sob Kori continued, "Sadly, I do not know if he feels the same about me. What's worse is I feel like I'm still empty, even though I can see and touch him." Kori looked at Rachel with pleading eyes, "Rachel, how do I know what he is feeling? I do not understand why he acts like he does."

"No one does, Kori. Not even Victor or Gar. But there is one thing I do know. Whether or not he realizes it, he loves you too and one day, forbid it be too late, he'll realize it."

In order to comfort her friend Rachel smiled, and she watched Kori's face light up. Thankfully, it didn't take a lot to cheer her up.

"Mommy, what's that?" The boy's voice broke the silence at their table as Rachel and Kori turned to see what the boy was pointing at. No more than 10ft away stood two clowns performing magic tricks and creating balloon animals.

"I wonder what they are promoting." Without waiting for a reply, Kori jumped from her seat, scarping down the last bite of her meal, "We should go ask them."

"Do we have to? I hate clowns." Rachel mumbled quietly.

--

"Friends, I have GLORIOUS news!!" Richard looked up to see Kori skipping into the kitchen. Before he could say anything he heard Gar ask,

"What's going on Kor?"

"I have been invited to perform at the Jump City Christmas Charity Ball."

"That's great Kori."

Kori nodded her head. "And after the performance I will be allowed to enjoy the rest of the evening at the Ball following the performance."

"Is there anything else you want to say Kori?" Rachel asked walking through the doorway.

"Well, I was hoping you all would be my guests to this event. I would rather be with my friends than a bunch of strangers."

Richard laughed. "I understand that. I've been multiple balls and I rarely know anyone. But isn't this ball like in December?"

"Yes."

"Well, it's only May."

"Look at it this way, Rich. Now you can put it on your calendar and have plenty of time to prepare for it. No villain can take that evening away from you." Rachel smiled at her triumph.

"DUDE! You just got burned by Rae….."

"DON'T CALL ME RAE!!" the vase behind Gar exploded and he instantly turned into a mouse and ran underneath the couch. The room exploded in laughter.

--

The clowns made their way to the outskirts of town where the circus was set-up. Slipping inside the Big Top they made their way to the Ring Leader.

"What did you find out?"

"The girl is a dancer for a local studio and there is no doubt about her feelings towards the boy. Do you want us to grab her the next time she visits?"

"No, if we strike now we could loose everything. We must wait until everything is in place."

* * *

Again, I want to thank those of you who have continued to read this story. It means a lot. **PLEASE REVIEW**!! It is greatly appreciated and helps me see what my mistakes are and improve my writing and storytelling.

**I also have a question for my readers. I have two options. One is to add another villain (like Aukia) into the story before we reach Pilot and the other is to go straight to the main villain, Pilot. Your opinions are very important. Thank you!!**

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	18. Chapter 18

**Well, it's been a while. Hopefully now that summer has started I will time to complete this story. It is a little shorter than usual but has some valuable information especially towards the end (HINT HINT) :) Enjoy**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS**

* * *

The files slowly dropped to the floor as Richard leaned back into his chair. Rubbing his eyes he tried to stimulate his brain to no avail. His mind was exhausted after studying the numerous files he had on Pilot. According to his research there was no correlation between attacks. _Which means no leads._ Richard lifted his head back up and looked down at the table. It was almost November, the weather had turned from rainy to cold and yet, nothing strange had occurred in Jump City.

As he reached for the piles he heard a familiar voice, "Hey, Rich. That room of yours must smell real bad; you've been in there for 3 straight days. Why don't you get off that pretty little behind of yours and come join the group?"

--

Richard followed Victor into the living room to find Gar and Kori engrossed in a TV show. Rachel sat in the lounge chair reading a book.

"Anyone want some popcorn?"

"It's not vegetarian popcorn, is it?" Vic asked.

"Dude, they don't even make that stuff….wish they did though."

"I don't think that would taste very good."

"I second Kori that just sounds gross." Richard said as he sat on the couch, next to Kori.

The Titans sat and watched the TV most of the afternoon before Gar finally turned it off. Vic looked over to see Kori's head lying of Richard's shoulder. He smiled. "So, Kori, how's the dance coming?"

"Not too bad. I'm still not sure which song to use. I have it narrowed down to 3."

"That's my girl. You don't need a date to this Christmas ball do you? If bird boy doesn't ask then I'd be more that willing to take you."

Kori laughed and Richard's face turned bright red. "No, Vic. I am not in need of a date, just my friends."

"Hey, Rachel!"

"Yes, Gar."

"How's the art exhibit coming?"

"Good. We'll be hosting the opening at the end of next week. You all are invited of course."

"SWEET!!"

"ONLY, if you can control yourself. Most artists don't like loud obnoxious people."

"Gar and I might have to wait outside then. Loud is our middle name."

"Well, I'm off to the studio. I'm going to play with the three songs to see if I can find one that fits." Richard felt cold air when she got up and watched her head for the door picking up her bag off the kitchen floor.

"Just call if you need us."

"Thanks Richard."

--

"_Tonight's a big night Richard." _

"_Why mom? It looks and sounds just like it did last night, and the night before that, and the night before that and the…."_

_His mom just laughed. "Well, there are some very special people here tonight. There is Gotham City mayor, the Chief of police, and Mr. Bruce Wayne, the man whose train system you like so much."_

_Richard gasped, "Can I say hi to him?"_

"_Maybe after the performance, but maybe your father will let you take a peak through the tent. Why don't you go ask him?"_

"_DAD!!" Richard ran away from his mother and headed towards the back entrance where his father stood. "Hey, dad, can you show me Mr. Wayne?"_

_His father smiled before hoisting Richard onto his shoulders. "Ok, son, if you look to the center seating area on the first row. The man in the grey suit with the black hair."_

"_Ugh, he doesn't look very nice."_

_His father laughed. "Well, he wants to meet us after the show tonight and even has a surprise for you."_

"_Really?" Richard's eyes began to light up. He loved gifts._

_His father nodded. "But, before he can do that we need to put on a GREAT performance. Go back to your mother and get ready to go on. We're up in 5"_

"_Yes, sir!!"_

_--5 minutes later--_

"_AND NOW INTRODUCING THE AMAZING FLYING GRAYSONS!!"_

_Richard never got tired of hearing the roar of the crowd. He and his father were up first, that way it was easier for the stage hands to take the net down. Richard looked forward to the day he wouldn't have to use net, just like his dad._

_Though he had practiced difficult stunts they weren't ready for show yet, so his father had told him to just stick to the simple flips. Richard performed them perfectly and received a loud applause._

_Next, up was his parents' special stunt. His mom would swing three times before propelling herself towards his dad, performing two twist back flip combinations. She performed them with ease but as soon as she grabbed her husbands hand something snapped._

_In slow motion, Richard watched his parents fall towards the ground, with no net to catch them._

Richard awoke with a start and looked at the clock. It was drawing near 12:15 am, and his gut told him something was wrong. _Where's Kori?_

--

Kori hadn't realized how much time had pasted. She had started rehearsing at the studio around 8pm and now the clock read 1am. _I can't believe how caught up I was; I really hope nobody is worrying about me._

She quickly grabbed her stuff, shut off the lights and left the building, making sure she locked the back door from which she exited. Kori quickly started heading out of the alley when a stranger spoke from behind.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Kori turned, prepared for trouble, only to see an elderly homeless man. "Yes. Can I help you with something?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could direct me to the nearest homeless shelter."

"Oh, of course. It's….."

Before she could react a hand came over her mouth and she inhaled a sour smell. Kori felt herself loosing consciousness before blacking out.

The homeless man watched the attacker pick the girl up; he felt bad for what he had done. Another man came out of the shadows.

"Thank you for your help." He said giving him a roll of 20s before walking to the black van waiting in the street.

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**UH-OH!! Please review!! Oh, and I forgot to thank all those AMAZING people who reviewed. I appreciate it. Also, I have decided not to create another "small" villain. The "Big Boss" aka Pilot is up. Anyone want to take a guess as to who it is?! REVIEW REVIEW!! Thanks :)  
**


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